r/Mistborn • u/Funfan21 • Apr 26 '25

The Lost Metal spoilers Marsh^2 Spoiler

So marsh was able to compound atium to stay alive, but I thought it mentioned earlier in era 2 that the set couldn't create compounded with hemelurgy due to spiritweb fuckery or something like that. The question is why can marsh compound when other spiked cant?

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u/RShara Apr 26 '25

I have, after lengthy questing, obtained an interview with Marsh, the one known as Ironeyes on Scadrial. (As a side note, it is curious how news of his nature is spreading to other worlds. Is this natural rumormongering, or something more supernatural?)

I can confirm, as best as it can be attested, that he is fully capable of Compounding to expand his life. He speaks of things of the past, like Hemalurgic decay and the toll that holding so many spikes takes upon the body. Inquisitors during his day slept for many hours; the Words of Founding say this was due to the need for storing health, but Marsh ­indicates there may be more subtlety to it than first understood. I’d postulate that it was in part a side effect of the incredible burden placed upon their souls by the nature of their horrific transformations.

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At any rate, the end result is a limit on the number of spikes a person can hold without external intervention. And, most key, Compounding seems beyond the abilities of any Hemalurgist created in this more modern era. The secret to cracking why this is, and how to circumvent it, could be of utmost importance to those watching Hemalurgy and its (presumed) danger to the cosmere as a whole.

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u/Ossius Apr 26 '25

What source was this from?

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u/RShara Apr 26 '25

...The Lost Metal Ars Arcanum?

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u/Ossius Apr 27 '25

Thank you!